Break SUBARU OUTBACK 2006 Owners Manual

2-14 Keys and doors
four transmitter codes into the system. If
you have only one current transmitter,
program it four times. If you have two cur-
rent transmitters, pr ogram each one twice.
If you have three current transmitters, pro-
gram two of them once and the third one
twice. This process will leave only current
transmitter codes in the system’s memory.
NOTE Make sure no one else is operating
their keyless entry system within range
of your vehicle when programming
transmitters. If someone else were to
operate their remote transmitter while
you are programming your transmit-
ters, it is possible that their transmitter
code will be programmed into your
system, allowing them unauthorized
access to your vehicle. Alarm system The alarm system helps to protect your
vehicle and valuables from theft. The horn
sounds and the turn signal lights flash if
someone attempts to break into your vehi-
cle.
The system can be armed and disarmed
with the remote transmitter.
The system does no t operate when the
key is inserted into the ignition switch.
Your vehicle’s alarm system has been set
for activation at the time of shipment from
the factory. You can set the system for de-
activation yourself or have it done by your
SUBARU dealer.
„ System alarm operation The alarm system will give the following
alarms when triggered:
y The vehicle’s horn will sound and the
turn signal lights will flash for 30 seconds.
y If any door (or the rear gate/trunk lid) re-
mains open after the 30-second period,
the horn will continue to sound for a maxi-
mum of 3 minutes. If the door (or the rear
gate/trunk lid) is closed while the horn is
sounding, the horn will stop sounding with
a delay of up to 30 seconds.
The alarm is triggered by: y Opening a door, the rear gate or trunk
lid
y Physical impact to the vehicle, such as
forced entry (only vehicles with shock sen-
sors (dealer option))
„ Activating and deactivating
the alarm system To change the setting of your vehicle’s
alarm system for activation or deactiva-
tion, do the following.
1. Disarm the alarm system (see “Disarm-
ing the system” in this section).
2. Sit in the driver’s seat and shut all
doors (and the rear gate if your vehicle is
a Station wagon).
3. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON” po-
sition.
4. Hold down the UNLOCK side of the
driver’s power door locking switch, open
the driver’s door within the following 1 sec-
ond, and wait 10 seconds without releas-
ing the switch. The setting will then be
changed as follows:
If the system was pr eviously activated:
The odometer/trip meter screen displays
“AL oF” and the horn sounds twice, indi-
cating that the system is now deactivated.
If the system was prev iously deactivated:
The odometer/trip meter screen displays

2-18 Keys and doors
T Disarming the system
To disarm the system, briefly press the
“ ” button on the transmitter.
„ Tripped sensor identificationThe security indicator light flashes when
the alarm system has been triggered. Al-
so, the number of flashes indicates the lo-
cation of unauthorized intrusion or the se-
verity of impact on the vehicle.
y When the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON” position, the indicator light will light
for 1 second and then flash as follows:
When a door or rear gate (Station wag-
on) was opened: 5 times
When the trunk (Sedan) was opened: 4
times
When a strong impact or multiple im-
pacts were sensed: twice (only vehicles
with shock sensors (dealer option))
When a light impact was sensed: once
(only vehicles with shock sensors (deal-
er option))
„ Shock sensors (dealer op-
tion)The shock sensors trigger the alarm sys-
tem when they sense impacts applied to
the vehicle and when any of their electric
wires is cut. The alarm system causes the
horn to sound and the turn signal lights to flash for a short time when the sensed im-
pact is weak, but it warns of a strong im-
pact or multiple impacts by sounding the
horn and flashing the turn signal lights,
both lasting approximately 30 seconds.
If you desire, your SUBARU dealer can
connect them and set them for activation
or deactivation.
NOTE y The shock sensors are not always
able to sense impacts caused by
breaking in, and cannot sense an im-
pact that does not cause vibration
(such as breaking the glass using a
rescue hammer).
y The shock sensors may sense vibra-
tion like those shown in the following
and trigger the alarm system. Select
the settings of the alarm system and
shock sensors appropriately depend-
ing on where you usually park your ve-
hicle.
Example:
Vibration from construction site
Vibration in multistory car park
Vibration from trains
y You can have the sensitivity of the
shock sensors adjusted to your prefer-
ence by your SUBARU dealer. Child safety locks
Each rear door has a child safety lock that
prevents the doors from being opened
even if the inside door handle is pulled.
When the child safety lock lever is in the
lock position, the door cannot be opened
from inside regardless of the position of
the inner door handle lock lever. The door
can only be opened from the outside. Always use the child safety lock
whenever a child rides in the rear
seat. Serious injury could result if a
child accidentally opened the door
and fell out.
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Instruments and controls
3-35
– CONTINUED –NOTE y The front wiper mo tor is protected
against overloads by a circuit breaker.
If the motor operates continuously un-
der an unusually heavy load, the circuit
breaker may trip to stop the motor tem-
porarily. If this happens, park your ve-
hicle in a safe place, turn off the wiper
switch, and wait for approximately 10
minutes. The circuit breaker will reset
itself, and the wipers will again operate
normally.
y Clean your wiper blades and window
glass periodically with a washer solu-
tion to prevent streaking, and to re- move accumulations of road salt or
road film. Keep th e washer button de-
pressed at least for 1 second so that
washer solution will be sprinkled all
over the windshield or rear window.
y Grease, wax, insects or other materi-
al on the windshield or the wiper
blades results in jerky wiper operation
and streaking on the glass. If you can-
not remove those streaks after operat-
ing the washer or if the wiper operation
is jerky, clean the outer surface of the
windshield or rear window and the wip-
er blades using a sponge or soft cloth
with a neutral dete rgent or mild-abra-
sive cleaner. After cleaning, rinse the
window glass and wiper blades with
clean water. The glass is clean if no
beads form on the glass when you
rinse with water.
y If you cannot eliminate the streaking
even after following this procedure, re-
place the wiper blades with new ones.
Refer to the “Replacement of wiper
blades” section (chapter 11) for re-
placement instructions.
„ Windshield wiper and washer
switches The wiper operates only when the ignition
switch is in the “ON” or “ACC” position.y In freezing weather, be sure that
the wiper blades are not frozen to
the windshield or rear window be-
fore switching on the wipers. At-
tempting to oper ate the wiper with
the blades frozen to the window
glass could cause not only the
wiper blades to be damaged but
also the wiper moto r to burn out. If
the wiper blades ar e frozen to the
window glass, be sure to operate
the defroster, wip er deicer (if
equipped) or rear window defog-
ger before turning on the wiper.
y If the wipers stop during opera-
tion because of ice or some other
obstruction on the window, the
wiper motor could burn out even if
the wiper switch is turned off. If
this occurs, promptly stop the ve-
hicle in a safe place, turn the igni-
tion switch to the “LOCK” posi-
tion and clean the window glass
to allow proper wiper operation. y Use clean water if windshield
washer fluid is unavailable. In ar-
eas where water freezes in winter,
use SUBARU Windshield Washer
Fluid or the equivalent. (See
“Windshield washer fluid” section
in chapter 11.)
Also, when driving the vehicle
when there are freezing tempera-
tures, use non-freezing type wiper
blades.
y Do not clean the wiper blades with
gasoline or a solvent, such as
paint thinner or benzene. This will
cause deterioration of the wiper
blades.

Interior equipment
6-5
– CONTINUED –close it, push the lid firmly upward.
To lock the glove box, insert the key and
turn it clockwise.
„ Center console boxCenter console box (front)
If you remove the divider plate from the
dual cupholders, you can use the center
console box as a storage space. To use as storage space:
Slide the sliding lid (near the parking
brake lever) toward the rear.
Grasp the dual cupholders’ divider plate at
the base. Turn it counterclockwise to re-
move it. To use again as cupholders:
Insert the protrusion on the back of the di-
vider plate into the hole in the center of the
console box. Grasp the divider plate at the
base, and turn it clockwise to fit it.600500 600206
600501If you hold the divider plate at the
top while turning it counterclock-
wise, it may break.
If you hold the divider plate at the
top while turning it clockwise, it may
break. 600502

Interior equipment
6-13
– CONTINUED –„ To remove the cover housing1. Rewind the cover.
2. Hold down the button on the right-hand
rear quarter panel and lift up the right-
hand cover housing.
3. Remove the cover housing. „ To remove the rear gate
board 0
1. Remove the top of the rear gate board
from the groove in the rear gate panel.
2. Hold both sides of the bottom edge of the rear gate board, ro tate the rear gate
board toward you, and pull it out down-
ward.
„ Stowage of the cargo area
cover and rear gate board The cargo area cover and rear gate board
can be stowed in under the cargo floor.
1. To open the lid, pull the handle up.Do not place anything on the ex-
tended cover. Putting excessive
weight on the extended cover can
break it and an object on the cover
could tumble forward in the event of
a sudden stop or collision. This
could cause serious injury.
400239 400240
400241 600214

8Driving tipsNew vehicle break-in driving – the first 1,000
miles (1,600 km) ............. ................................. 8-2
Fuel economy hints ............. .......................... .... 8-2
Engine exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide) ......... 8-2
Catalytic converter ............................................. 8-3
Periodic inspections .......................................... 8-4
Driving in foreign countries .............................. 8-4
Driving tips for AWD vehicles ........................... 8-5
Off road driving .................................................. 8-6
Winter driving ..................................................... 8-7 Operation during cold weather .............................. 8-7
Driving on snowy and icy roads ............................ 8-9
Corrosion protection .............................................. 8-10
Snow tires ............................................................... 8-10
Tire chains ............................................................... 8-11
Rocking the vehicle ................................................ 8-12
Loading your vehicle ......................................... 8-12 Vehicle capacity weight ......................................... 8-13
GVWR and GAWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
and Gross Axle Weight Rating) ........................... 8-14
Roof rail and crossbar (if equipped) ..................... 8-14
Trailer hitch (if equipped) .................................. 8-18
Connecting a trailer ................................................ 8-19
When you do not tow a trailer ............................... 8-20
Trailer towing ...................................................... 8-20
Warranties and maintenance ................................. 8-20
Maximum load limits .............................................. 8-21 Trailer hitches ......................................................... 8-24
Connecting a trailer ................................................ 8-25
Trailer towing tips ................................................... 8-26

8-2 Driving tips Driving tips
New vehicle break-in driving
– the first 1,000 miles (1,600
km) The performance and long life of your ve-
hicle are dependent on how you handle
and care for your vehicle while it is new.
Follow these instructions during the first
1,000 miles (1,600 km):
y Do not race the engine. And do not al-
low engine speed to exceed 4,000 rpm ex-
cept in an emergency.
y Do not drive at one constant engine or
vehicle speed for a long time, either fast or
slow.
y Avoid starting suddenly and rapid accel-
eration, except in an emergency.
y Avoid hard braking, except in an emer-
gency.
The same break-in procedures should be
applied to a newly installed or overhauled
engine or when brake pads or brake lin-
ings are replaced with new ones. Fuel economy hints The following suggestions will help to
save your fuel.
y Select the proper gear position for the
speed and road conditions.
y Avoid sudden acceleration or decelera-
tion. Always accelerate gently until you
reach the desired speed. Then try to main-
tain that speed for as long as possible.
y Do not pump the accelerator and avoid
racing the engine.
y Avoid unnecessary engine idling.
y Keep the engine properly tuned.
y Keep the tires inflated to the correct
pressure shown on the tire placard, which
is located under the door latch on the driv-
er’s side. Low pressure will increase tire
wear and fuel consumption.
y Use the air conditioner only when nec-
essary.
y Keep the front and rear wheels in prop-
er alignment.
y Avoid carrying unnecessary luggage or
cargo. Engine exhaust gas (Carbon
monoxide) y Never inhale engine exhaust gas.
Engine exhaust gas contains car-
bon monoxide, a colorless and
odorless gas which is dangerous,
or even lethal, if inhaled.
y Always properly maintain the en-
gine exhaust system to prevent
engine exhaust gas from entering
the vehicle.
y Never run the engine in a closed
space, such as a garage, except
for the brief time needed to drive
the vehicle in or out of it.
y Avoid remaining in a parked vehi-
cle for a lengthy ti me while the en-
gine is running. If that is unavoid-
able, then use th e ventilation fan
to force fresh air into the vehicle.
y Always keep the front ventilator
inlet grille free from snow, leaves
or other obstructions to ensure
that the ventilation system always
works properly.

Driving tips
8-7
– CONTINUED –ground from under your tires, resulting in
possible loss of traction and even vehicle
rollover.
y Always check your brakes for effective-
ness immediately after driving in sand,
mud or water. Do this by driving slowly
and stepping on the brake pedal. Repeat
that process several times to dry out the
brake discs and brake pads.
y Do not drive or park over or near flam-
mable materials such as dry grass or fall-
en leaves, as they may burn easily. The
exhaust system is very hot while the en-
gine is running and right after engine
stops. This could create a fire hazard.
y After driving through tall grass, mud,
rocks, sand, rivers, etc., check that there
is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stones,
sand, etc. adhering to or trapped on the
underbody. Clear off any such matter from
the underbody. If the vehicle is used with
these materials trapped or adhering to the
underbody, a mechanical breakdown or
fire could occur.
y Secure all cargo carried inside the vehi-
cle and make certain that it is not piled
higher than the seatbacks. During sudden
stops or jolts, unsecured cargo could be
thrown around in the vehicle and cause in-
jury. Do not pile heavy loads on the roof.
Those loads raise the vehicle’s center of
gravity and make it more prone to tip over. y If you must rock the vehicle to free it
from sand or mud, depress the accelera-
tor pedal slightly and move the selector le-
ver back and forth between “D” and “R” re-
peatedly. Do not race the engine. For the
best possible traction, avoid spinning the
wheels when trying to free the vehicle.
y When the road surface is extremely
slippery, you can obtain better traction by
starting the vehicle with the transmission
in 2nd than 1st (both for MT and AT).
y Never equip your vehi cle with tires larg-
er than those specified in this manual.
y Wash the vehicle’s underbody after off-
road driving. Suspension components are
particularly prone to dirt buildup, so they
need to be washed thoroughly.
y Frequent driving of an AWD vehicle un-
der hard-driving condit ions such as rough
roads or off roads will necessitate more
frequent replacement of engine oil, brake
fluid and transmission oil than that speci-
fied in the maintenance schedule de-
scribed in the “Warranty and Maintenance
Booklet”.
Remember that damage done to your
SUBARU while operating it off-road and
not using common sense precautions
such as those listed above is not eligible
for warranty coverage. Winter driving
„ Operation during cold weath-
er Carry some emergency equipment, such
as tire chains, a window scraper, a bag of
sand, flares, a small shovel, and jumper
cables.
Check the battery and cables. Cold tem-
peratures reduce battery capacity. The
battery must be in good condition to pro-
vide enough power for cold winter starts.
Use an engine oil of proper grade and vis-
cosity for cold weather. Heavy summer oil
will cause harder starting.
Keep the door locks from freezing by 800015

Driving tips
8-9
– CONTINUED –buildup on the suspension, disc brakes
and brake hoses underneath the vehicle.
If there is caked snow or ice, remove it,
being careful not to damage the disc
brakes and brake hoses and ABS har-
ness.
T Refueling in cold weather
To help prevent moisture from forming in
the fuel system and t he risk of its freezing,
use of an antifreeze additive in the fuel
tank is recommended during cold weath-
er.
Use only additives that are specifically de-
signed for this purpose. When an anti-
freeze additive is used, its effect lasts
longer if the tank is refilled whenever the
fuel level reaches half empty.
If your SUBARU is not going to be used for
an extended period, it is best to have the
fuel tank filled to capacity.
„ Driving on snowy and icy
roads To prevent skidding and slipping, avoid
sudden braking, abrupt acceleration, high-
speed driving, and sharp turning when
driving on snowy or icy roads.
Always maintain ample distance between
your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you
to avoid the need for sudden braking.
To supplement the foot brake, use the en-
gine brake effectively to control the vehi-
cle speed. (Shift into a lower gear when
necessary.)
Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such behav-
ior can cause the wheels to lock, possibly
leading to loss of vehicle control.
An anti-lock brake system (ABS) enhanc-
es your vehicle’s braking performance on
snowy and icy roads. Refer to the “ABS
(Anti-lock Brake System)” and “Vehicle
Dynamics Control system (if equipped)”
section in chapter 7 for information on
braking on slippery surfaces. T Wiper operation when snowing
Before driving in cold weather, make sure
the wiper blades are not frozen to the
windshield or rear window. If the wiper
blades are frozen to the windshield or rear
window, use the defroster with the airflow
control button/dial in the “ ” position
and the temperature control dial set for
maximum warmth until the wiper blades
are completely thawed out. If your vehicle
is equipped with a wiper deicer, it is helpful
to thaw the windshield wiper blades. To
thaw out the rear wiper blade, use the rear
window defogger.
When driving in snow, if frozen snow
starts to stick on th e surface of the wind-
shield despite wiper operation, use the de-
froster with the airflow control button/dial
in “ ” and the temperature control dial
set for maximum warmth. After the wind-
shield gets warmed enough to melt the
frozen snow on it, wash it away using the
windshield washer.
Snow stuck on the wiper arm prevents the
wiper from working effe ctively. If snow is
stuck on the wiper arm, pull off the road to
a safe place, then remove it. If you stop
the vehicle at road side, use the hazard
warning flasher to alert other drivers.
We recommend use of non-freezing typeDo not use the cruise control on
slippery roads such as snowy or icy
roads. This may cause loss of vehi-
cle control. Avoid prolonged continuous driving
in snowstorms. Snow will enter the
engine’s intake system and may
hinder the air flow, which could re-
sult in engine shutdown or even
breakdown.

Driving tips
8-13
– CONTINUED –NOTE For better fuel economy, do not carry
unneeded cargo.
„ Vehicle capacity weight The load capacity of your vehicle is deter-
mined by weight, not by available cargo
space. The maximum load you can carry
in your vehicle is shown on the vehicle
placard attached to the driver’s side door
pillar. It includes the total weight of the
driver and all passengers and their be-
longings, any optional equipment such as
a trailer hitch, roof rack or bike carrier,
etc., and the tongue load of a trailer.y When you carry something inside
the vehicle, secure it whenever
you can to prevent it from being
thrown around inside the vehicle
during sudden stops, sharp turns
or in an accident.
y Do not pile heavy loads on the
roof. These loads raise the vehi-
cle’s center of gravity and make it
more prone to tip over.
y Secure lengthy items properly to
prevent them from shooting for-
ward and causing serious injury
during a sudden stop.
y Never exceed the maximum load
limit. If you do, some parts on
your vehicle can break, or it can
change the way your vehicle han-
dles. This could result in loss of
control and cause personal injury.
Also, overloading can shorten the
life of your vehicle.
y Do not place anything on the rear
shelf behind the rear seatback (for
Sedan) or the extended luggage
cover (for Station wagon). Such
items could tumble forward in the
event of a sudden stop or a colli-
sion. This could cause serious in-
jury. Do not carry spray cans, containers
with flammable or corrosive liquids
or any other dangerous items inside
the vehicle.
800236 B00128